“KAITAIA MARCHES AGAINST VIOLENCE”

“Beat burglary,” you can read on the side of the police car.

The Ten commandments come to my mind, when I read about burglary. The Ten commandments begin like this in the Bible:

“‘I am the LORD your God,  who brought you out of Egypt, the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods beside me.'”

What a challenge! How do we beat burglary? How do we overcome burglary.

“‘Saver Communities Together'” is also written on police cars. What can we do to make our communities saver?

The Collins Concise Dictionary says that burglary is “the crime of entering a building as a trespasser to commit theft or another offence.”

“‘You shall not steal,'” is one of the Ten Commandments. How do we stop stealing in our community?

Another of the Ten Commandment says, “‘You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything …'” How do we stop worshiping idols?

“‘You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, ….'” is one more of the Ten Commandments. How do we stop misusing the name of the LORD?

“‘Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,'” is also one of the Ten Commandments. What are we going to do about keeping the Sabbath holy?

Another of the Ten Commandments says, “‘Honor your father and mother, …'” How are we going to do that in our community?

Another of the Ten Commandments says, “‘You shall not murder.'” How do we stop people from murdering each other in our community?

“‘You shall not commit adultery,'” is another of the Ten Commandments.

“‘You shall not  give false testimony against your neighbor,'” is also one more of the Ten Commandments.

And here is the last one: “‘You shall not covet your  neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbors wife, or his manservant …'”

What is the answer to all those questions? What makes us obedient to the commandments of the Lord?

WE MUST COME OUT OF EGYPT.

WE MUST COME OUT OF THE LAND OF SLAVERY.

You are intelligent and you know what that means. Read also more posts on this blog!

COOPER”S BEACH IS NOT VERY FAR FROM WHERE WE LIVE

“Sunday’s 6.5 magnitude earthquake in Cook Strait was felt as far away as Doubtless Bay, where the tremor was powerful enough to damage floor tiles in the GAS service station shop at Cooper’s Beach.” (The Northland Age, Tuesday, July 23, 2013)

Today I am reading in the paper (The New Zealand Herald, Monday, July 22, 2013) about the three big earthquakes that rocked Wellington, the capital of New Zealand on Friday and Sunday.

I looked up what the Bible says about earthquakes:  In Matthew chapter 24 the Lord Jesus Christ Foretells the Future and in verse seven he says:

“‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.'”

Read also Mark 13:8 and Luke 21:11. I notice that it says in Luke 21:11 “‘There will be great earthquakes …'”

Whenever I read about and hear about earthquakes First Corinthians 3:11 comes to my mind. It is also a verse I really love and have memorized. 

“For no one  can lay any foundation other than the one already laid which is JESUS CHRIST.”

This week I read two quotes about being happy in two different newspapers. One quote is by Abraham Lincoln and the other by Albert Schweitzer.

Abraham Lincoln said this about being happy: “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

I think today I read about a man who made up his mind to be happy. I am finding his story in the book called GEDULD UND GLAUBE DER HEILIGEN. The book is written by Joerg Erb.

He asked himself four questions.

His name is Wilhelm Loehe and he lived in Germany from 1808-1872. His church were mainly farmers and he sent workers to North America and Missionaries to New Guinea.

He did not only preach, but founded a community care center.

And here are the four questions, he asked himself.

First question: What do I want to do?

I want to serve.

Second question: Who do I want to serve?

I want to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. And that means of course to serve the needy and the sick.

Third question: What are my wages?

I am not serving to receive wages or thanks, I am serving to show my thankfulness and it is a privilege for me to serve.

Fourth question: And if I grow old by doing so?

My heart will be fresh like a palm tree and the Lord will satisfy me with his grace and mercy. I am going in peace and I am careful for nothing.

Albert Schweitzer said this about happiness:

“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”

People I meet on Commerce Street in Kaitaia in the north of New Zealand:

Not long ago I talked to a Hare Kishna monk  for quite some time. He was selling books by donation. He recognized me from three years ago. I did not.  I told him that I worked for 13 years in Thailand as a missionary and that a former buddhist priest was my language teacher.

And today I had a conversation with two Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are keen distributers of the magazines “AWAKE!” and “THE WATCHTOWER”. I am always amazed at the printing of each issue.